FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM #5.j.
MEETING DATE June 4, 2025
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Assistant to the Town Manager SUBJECT Authorize the Mayor to send a letter opposing proposed offshore oil and gas leasing included in the federal 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Town Council authorize the Mayor to submit the attached letter of opposition to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regarding proposed offshore oil and gas leasing.
BACKGROUND
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is currently soliciting public input on its 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This program includes potential new offshore drilling activities near the California coast. In 2020, the Town of Fairfax adopted Resolution 20-34 opposing offshore drilling. BOEM’s public comment period for the new program closes on June 16, 2025.
DISCUSSION
Staff finds that the proposed offshore drilling program presents risks to California’s coastal economy, natural ecosystems, and community health. Offshore drilling operations, including the potential for oil spills and seismic testing, threaten tourism, fisheries, and marine biodiversity. The attached letter reiterates the Town’s longstanding position opposing such activities and aligns with previously adopted policies. No formal resolution is proposed at this time; instead, a letter will be submitted as public comment and shared with congressional representatives.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Draft Letter of Opposition
T O W N O F F A I R F A X 142 BOLINAS ROAD, FAIRFAX, CALIFORNIA 94930 PHONE (415) 453 - 1584 / FAX (415) 453 - 1618
June 5, 2025
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
Office of Strategic Resources
45600 Woodland Road
Sterling, VA 20166
RE: BOEM’s request for information regarding Offshore Drilling and the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program
Ms. Kelly Hammerle,
On behalf of the Town of Fairfax in Fairfax, CA, I am writing to express our firm opposition to the inclusion of new offshore oil and gas leasing off the coast of Califonia in the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
Coastal economies are built on the foundation of clean beaches, healthy ecosystems, and vibrant tourism and marine industries.
Offshore drilling puts all of that at risk. Even the perception of risk from oil and gas activity can negatively affect tourism, property values, and investor confidence. A major spill would have longlasting consequences for small businesses, fisheries, and the thousands of jobs that rely on a healthy coastal environment.
Our Town believes it is not in the best interest of our community, or our economy, to open our coasts to seismic blasting and offshore drilling. The potential short-term benefits to energy companies do not outweigh the long-term threats to coastal livelihoods, local industries, and our natural resources. In 2020, the Town of Fairfax passed Resolution 20-34 opposing offshore drilling, including airgun blasting, and the town stands by this.
We urge the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to take these economic concerns seriously and to prioritize the protection of our coasts in the upcoming leasing program. We also call on our elected officials in Congress to support policies that safeguard our shorelines and reject any efforts to expand offshore oil and gas development.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments. We appreciate your consideration of the interests of coastal businesses and communities like ours.
Sincerely,
Lisel Blash
Mayor of the Town of Fairfax